Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-07-17

ING hole of a Hottentot, arraigned the
nowerful leader OF men before the tribuna
of her conscience and without pity, II
without wrath, passed upon him a sent
ence of extinction.
But who was to be the executioner !! A
dreadful thought flashed into her mind
and made her heart stand still, but she
dismissed it. She had not come TO that
vet. Her ewes wandered round the ken
mel and lit upon J~antie's assegais and
sticks in the corner, and then she got
another inspiration. Jantie should do the
deed. John had told her n day-told
her. when they were sitting together in
- The Palatial at Pretoria-the whole
of Jantie's awful story about the mas
sacre of his relatives by Frank Muller
twenty years before, of which, indeed, she
already knew something. 1t would be
most fitting that this iend should be re-
moved OFF the face OF the earth by the sur
yiyor of those unfortunates. There would
be a little poetic Justice about that, and it
is 80 rare in the world. But the question
was, would he do it? The little man was
a wonderful coward, that she knew, and
had a great terror Of Beers, and especially
OF Frank Muller.
"Jantje," she whispered, putting her
head toward the bee hole.
"Yes, missile" answered a hOarse voice
outside, and next second his monkey like
face came creeping into the ring of light,
followed by his even more monkey like
form.
"Sit down there, jamie. I am lonely
here, and want 10 talk"
He obeyed her, with a grin. What
shall We talk about, missile. Shall | tell
you q story Of the time when the beasts
used tospeak like | used..to do, years and
years ago."
'No, jamie. Tell me about the stick
that long stick with a knob on the top,
and the hicks cut on it. Has it not some
thing to do with Frank Muller"
The H%ottentot's face instantly grew evil.
Yah, yah, missile" he said, reaching ont
a skinny claw and seizing the stick.
Look, that big notch, that is my father,
Baas Frank shot him; and that next notch,
that is my mother, Baas Frank shot her;
and the next one, that is my uncle, an old,
old man, Baas Frank shot him, too. Aud
these small notches, they are where he has
beaten me-yes, and other things, too.
And now | will make more uotches-one
for the house that is burned, and one for
the old Baas Croft, my own baas, whom he
is going to shoot, and one for Missile Bes-
sic" And without further ado ne drew
from his side a very large, white handled
hunting knife, and began TO cut them then
and there upon the hard wood of the stick.
Jess knew this knife of old. 1t was
Jantje's peculiar treasure, the chief Joy of
his narrow little heart. He had bought it
from "a Zulu for q heifer which her uncle
had given him in lieu of a half years
wages. The Zulu had got it from a man
who came down from beyond Delagoa bay.
As a matter of fact it was u Samali knife,
manufactured from soft native steel (which
takes an edge like a razor, and with u
handle cut from the tusk of q h%ippopota-
mus. For the rest, il was about a loot
long, with three grooves running the length
OF the blade, and very heavy.
stop cutting notches, Jamie, and let
Inc look at that knife"
lie obeyed, aud put it into her hand.
That knife would kill "a man, Jantie,"
she said.
"Yes, yes" he answered; mo doubt it
has killed many men"
at would kill Frank Muller, now,
would it not?" she said, suddenly bending
forward and fixing her dark eyes npon the
little mans ~jaundiced orbs.
Yah, YAH" he said, starting back, at
would kill him dead. All. What q thing
it would be to kill him." he added, witha
fierce halt sniggle, half laugh.
"He killed your father, Janije.'
Yah, yah, he killed my father" said
jamie, his eyes beginning to roll with
rage.
ale killed your mother"
"Iah, he killed my mother" he re.
peated after her with eager ierocity.
And your uncle. He killed your I'M
cle."
"And my uncle, too" he went on,
toes rs his voice rose To a sor of subdued
scream. "But he will die in blood-the
old EnglishwOman, his mother, said it
when the devil was in her, aud the devils
never lie. Look! | draw BIAS Franks
circle in the dust with my toe, and listen,
l say the words l say the words" and he
muttered something rapidly; IAN old, old
witch doctor taught MT how to do il, and
what 10 say. Once before | did it, and
there was a stone in the way, now there Is
no stone; look, the ends meet. He will
die in blood! He will die soou. | know
how to read the circle" and he gnashed
his teeth and sawed the air with his
clinched fists.
eyes, you are right, jamie" she said,
still holding him with her dark eyes. "He
will die in blood, and h. shall die tonight,
and you will kill him, Yantje."
The HottentOt started, and turned pale
under his yellow skin.
How ?" he said; how"
Bend forward, jamie, and | will tell
you how" aud she whispered for some
minutes into his ear.